Sunbeam Christmas Pudding

Preparation 15 MINS + overnight cooling

Cook 6 hours

Serves 12

Method

In a large saucepan combine all dried fruits with 300ml water, butter and caster sugar.  Stir well to combine, then bring to the boil, reduce heat to low and stir over a simmer for 8 mins.  Turn off the heat and stir in bicarbonate of soda.  Cover and allow mixture to cool completely overnight.

Soak breadcrumbs in milk until just absorbed.  Add to the mixture with lemon zest, almonds, carrot, flour and spices.  Mix well then stir in eggs, brandy and orange juice. 

Grease the base and sides of a 2L lidded pudding basin.  Spoon the mixture into the basin then smooth the surface and cover with a round of baking paper before closing the lid.

Place a trivet into the bottom of a large saucepan and rest the pudding basin on top.  Fill the saucepan with enough boiling water to come half way up the basin.  Cover the saucepan with lid, bring the water to a boil then reduce to very low simmer and leave the pudding to steam for 6 hours. 

Check that the pudding is done by gently pressing gently the centre.  If it springs back it’s ready (f not, re-cover and steam for a further 30 mins, repeating if necessary).

Allow pudding to cool in the tin for an hour then invert onto a baking rack to cool completely.

Ingredients

250g Sunbeam Raisins

250g Sunbeam Sultanas

165g Sunbeam Currants

125g Angas Park Prunes, roughly chopped

125g Angas Park Mixed Peel

165g butter

165g caster sugar

1 ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

165g fresh, white breadcrumbs

125ml milk

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

60g blanched almonds

1 medium carrot, grated

85g plain flour

¼ tsp sea salt

2 tsp mixed spice

2 eggs, lightly whisked

60ml brandy

165ml orange juice

Recipe Collection

Speedy Cinnamon & Choc Scones

1. Preheat oven to 220ºC (200ºC fan forced). Line a baking tray with non stick baking paper.
2. Sift flour and salt into a large bowl; add mixed fruit and mix to combine. Make a well in the centre and pour in cream and lemonade; mix using a blunt knife to form a dough; turn dough onto a lightly-floured surface and knead lightly. Divide dough into two equal portions; roll each into a ball then into a circle, about 2.5cm thick, using a rolling pin. Using a sharp knife, cut each circle into 8 wedges. Place scones onto prepared tray.
3. To make glaze, whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl; brush scones lightly with glaze. Cook for 14 minutes or until cooked through and golden.
4. Place chocolate into a zip lock bag and snip the corner. Drizzle over the scones. Enjoy!

Last Minute Christmas Cake

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the sugar and stir over the heat for 3-4 mins until combined.

Add dried fruit, bicarbonate of soda, rum, cognac and 125ml water and stir well to combine.  Increase heat to high and continue to stir until the sugar dissolves.  Reduce heat to medium then cook for a further 4 mins without stirring.  Remove from heat, cover and allow mixture to cool overnight.

Preheat oven to 150ºC (130ºC fan).  Grease and line a 23cm square baking tin. 

Add eggs to the cooled mixture and stir.  Add flour and spices and stir well to combine.  Allow the mixture to sit for 10 mins before spooning into the prepared tin and smoothing the surface.

Decorate the top of the cake with blanched almonds then bake for 2 to 2 ½ hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.  Check your cake every hour to ensure it is not browning too quickly on top.  If it is, cover with foil for the remainder of the cooking time.

Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin before inverting to remove.  To serve, brush with a little apricot jam that has been warmed in the microwave.

This cake can be stored for up to 3 months in the fridge – cover the cooled cake in 2 layers of plastic wrap and foil.

Crunchy Apple Slaw

  1. Place pinenuts and sesame seeds in a small frying pan and cook for 5 minutes until golden and toasted. Set aside.
  2. Combine the cabbage, apples, spring onions, raisins and mint in a large mixing bowl and toss well.
  3. Whisk together the oil and vinegar. Season to taste. Pour over apple mixture and toss well. Spoon onto serving platter and sprinkle with toasted seeds and nuts and some additional mint leaves.

Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Maple Fruit Glaze

Preheat oven to 180℃. 

Add the Sunbeam Mixed Fruit and cover with maple syrup. Allow to sit to soak while making the cake.  

Prep your bundt tin by rubbing all over with coconut oil and dusting with a little caster sugar to get into all the crevices.   

In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, soda, salt and spices. Mix together to combine.  

In a stand mixer, add the butter and coconut sugar. Cream together. Add in the eggs and coconut treacle, then mix until smooth. Add in the milk and mix again until combined.  

Add in the dry mix ¼ cup at a time, until you form a smooth batter.  

 Pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt tin, then bake for 40-45 minutes until cooked through (piece the middle with a skewer, and if it comes out clean it’s done!). Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes and carefully flip and allow the cake to pop out.  

To make the icing:  beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add sugar and milk and beat until desired consistency is reached. The icing should be thin enough that it can run down the cake. Add a little more milk as needed to reach this consistency. Add the salt, cinnamon and vanilla. Blend until well combined.  

 Frost the Gingerbread Bundt Cake and spoon over the Fruit Glaze and toasted walnuts.   

Butter Biscuit Wreaths

  1. Preheat oven to 160°C and line with baking trays. Set aside 1/4 cup raisins for decorating. Roughly chop remaining raisins.

  2. Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and creamy. Sift in flour and mixed spice and add chopped raisins. Mix until combined. Divide dough in half and form into two disks. Wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm.

  3. Roll dough between sheets of baking paper to 0.5cm thick. Cut 8cm rounds with cookie cutter. Transfer to lined baking trays and cut 3cm circles from middle of rounds to form rings. Reroll dough as necessary and refrigerate if too soft. Bake 15-20 minutes until lightly coloured. Cool on trays.

  4. To decorate, working with one biscuit at a time, drizzle white chocolate over the top and decorate with raisins, almonds and other decorations.

Hot Cross Sultana Muffins

Cream together the butter, sugar and orange rind until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Sift together the flour, cinnamon and combine with the Sultana Bran, Sunbeam Sultanas and walnuts. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture alternatively with yogurt, until just combined. Spoon mixture into greased muffin pans filling ¾ full. Pipe on crosses. Bake in moderate oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve Warm.

Crosses:

Mix flour and water to a smooth paste. Fill into a small plastic bag, cut a small hole across the corner and use to pipe crosses.

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